Vault-cover.



Patented luly 29, i902.

VAULT COVER.

(Application led Oct. B, 1901.)

P. S. KN-APP & J. STEINBERG.

(Nn Maurel.)

f-i fflw a m u@ M wwf w mmm 0V 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL S. KNAPP AND JACOB STEINBERG,` OF MOKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

Murr-COVER.

srEcIFIcATIoN forming pare of Lettersratent No. 705,6aatea July 2e, 1902.

. t... i i Application iiled October 8, 1901. Serial No. 77,983. (No model.)

Vault-Covers; and We do hereby declare thev following to be a full, clear, and `exact description of the same.

This invention relates to that class of devices Which are used to close cellar or vault openings in sidewalks and to guard such openings against persons falling into them when left open; andA its Aobject is to adapt a cover to such openings comprising bricks or cement like the surrounding sidewalk, to be easily. moved to and from the opening,to store it out of the way and in safety when not in service, to operate it and to lock it bymeans of appliances located Within the adjacent house, and to provide means to be automatically operated for guarding the opening when the cover is removed.

To this end our invention consists, in the construction and combination of parts forming a vault-cover hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims,'refer ence being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure I represents a portion of a sidewalk with a vault opening and cover according to our invention. Fig. II represents the same in longitudinal vertical section at the line a; of Fig. I. Fig. III represents a transverse vertical section at the line y of Fig. I.

Numeral 5 represents the frame of a souttle in the sidewalk 6 and having two side rails 7, which extend back under the Walls 8 of the adjacent house a distance about equal to the length ofthe scuttle. Upon these rails the door or cover 9 of the scuttle is iitted to travel upon rollers 10, so as to close or open the scuttle, and when open the cover is at the rear end of the rails and under the house. This cover may be made ofany suitable material, but for neatness of appearance and to render it less slippery in Wet or icy weather We prefer to cover it with bricks, concrete, granolithic pavement, or lWhatever the surrounding sidewalk is made of. This necessarily makes it quite heavy and creates the demand for the rails 7 and rollers 10, and we provide a chain or cord 11, running over a pulley 12 to a balance-weight `13, to pull the cover open as soon as it is set free by being unlocked.

14 is agbolt fitted to'slide through'the frame andproject intothe path of`the cover.

15 isa lever-pivoted at 16 to the frame and connected at one end with the bolt 14 and at the other end with the crank-arm 17 of the key 18,Which is journaled in fixtures in the house, with its handle 19 projecting so that it may be operated like a gas-cock.

2O and 21 represent side guards journaled at 22 below the path of the cover 9 and provided `with operating-arms 23 and 24, respectively,

these arms being connected by a rod 25.

26'is another operating-arm fixed to the shaft 27 of the guard 20 and connectedwith one arm of an elbow-lever 2S, which is pivoted at 29 to the frame. The other arm 30 of the elbow-lever has a slotted end located in the, path of a stud 31, that is fixed to project from the under side of the cover 9.

The operation is as follows: First the key 18 is to be turned a half-revolution, operating its lever 15 to draw the bolt 14, whereby the cover is unlocked. Now the cover may be pushed back under the house by hand, taking hold of the handle 32, or, if theweight 13`beheavy'enough, that may draw the cover `Open automatically. The passage of the cover brings'the stud 31 into the slot in arm 30 of Athe elbow-lever, and swinging that lever acts upon the arm 26 to raise lthe guard 20, and that, by means of its arm 23, the connectingrod 25, and the arm 24, also operates the other guard 21 to raise it. The guards 2O and 21 are thus raised by the cover at the time of its com plete opening, and they stand at the sides of the opening as shields so long as the cover is open. By turning the key 18 the bolt 14 may be slid to lock the lid open as well as closed, and the key being permanently located inside the house cannot be lostand prevents the cover being operated by meddlers either when opened or closed. When at either end of its sweep, the crank 17 is on dead-centers, and it could not be operated by means of either the bolt 14 or the lever 15 to slide the bolt, though easily operated by its own handle, the key 18. The handle 32 is hung to be buried level with the sidewalk or IOO to be raised when needed for use. The weight 13 may be proportioned. to the frictional resistance of the cover to beingmoved, so as to just balance that resistance in` opening the cover or so as to start and quickly open the cover as soon as it is unlocked. The cover rolling in under the house will be entirely protected and out of the way when not in use. By making the cover to receive bricks or concrete anystyle of finish may be given to conform to the surrounding sidewalk or to suit the owners taste.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we believe to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

l. A cover fitted to slide over a vault-opening; a bolt for locking the cover; a key pro vided with a crank and journaled to rotate in fixed bearings, and a lever connectingr the said bolt and crank, substantially as described.

2. In vanltcovers; a frame having Ways extending along at the sides of the opening and beyond the end thereof; a cover tted to' travel upon the said ways and having a stud projecting from its lower face; guards journaled in bearings along the sides of the opening below the path of the said cover and adapted to be swung up above the face of the frame and having operating-arms; an elbowlever pivoted to the frame and having one arm slotted to be engaged by the aforesaid stud and connections between its other arm and the said guard-operating arms, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of witnesses.

PAULS. KNAPP.

JACOB STEINBERG.

Vitnesses to signature of Paul S.

EDWIN SOLES, WM. NowELL.

Knapp: 

